Richard Kagoe
Tuesday August 8, 2023
The al-Qaeda attack on the US embassy in Nairobi killed more than 200 people
A woman who survived the bombing of the US embassy in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, exactly 25 years ago today, has said that her children have been stigmatised as a result of the injuries she sustained.
More than 200 people died and thousands others were wounded in the al-Qaeda attack in 1998.
"I am a survivor [but] I went blind. My children have suffered stigma because of me being blind. People think it’s a curse and don’t want their children to associate with my mine," Catherine Achieng’ Bwire told the BBC's Focus on Africa podcast.
Catherine was seven months pregnant when the attacked happened. Two months later, her daughter Jean Bahati was worn.
But because of her visual impairment, Catherine has never actually seen Jean despite bringing her up.
"My Mum's dreams were shattered. She was independent, with a job, helping her siblings now she had to depend on people," Jean told the BBC.
On the anniversary of the attack, the Kenyan victims of the bombing in Nairobi renewed calls for compensation from Washington.
A victims' group, urged the US Congress to approve legislation to cover medical expenses and education costs for survivors and their families.